#NFLTechSeries 2013: Cleveland Browns

Our 2013 NFL Tech Series follows all 32 NFL teams up until kickoff on Week 1. Each feature includes the latest from each organization, spanning stadium WiFi upgrades, mobile technology, fan engagement, and the tech used by players and coaches to gain an edge. Front office personnel and technology staff throughout the league provided an inside look at how each team plans on improving their franchise through hi-tech advancements. In this new age of technology in sports we are uncovering the many new innovations and strategies being used by teams and where the present and future of NFL technology lies. Today, we look at the Cleveland Browns and how they plan to enhance the fan experience for the 2013 Dawgpound.

The Cleveland Browns are marching in a new direction. A direction that involves fan feedback and a stronger football culture. Ever since the Browns hired Alec Scheiner to be the new President, replacing Mike Holmgren, there have been a plethora of changes to benefit the organization. Coming from a franchise as big as the Dallas Cowboys, Scheiner knows a thing or two about creating an innovative and captivating identity.

Back when Scheiner was hired in December, Browns owner Jimmy Haslam said, “for many years the Cowboys have been a leading innovator among NFL franchises, and Alec played an integral role in this success. We are confident that his expertise will be a tremendous asset, not only for our organization but our fans as well.”

Taking over a team with traditional ways like the Cleveland Browns is not easy, especially for a team that has not had a uniform makeover in a long while, but Scheiner embraces the Browns’ tradition as a huge part of the organization and is looking to grow the brand. “It’s more about connecting with what he have already … in more effective ways,” he said. “You can always do better.”

And now Alec Scheiner is unveiling a plan to enhance the fan experience at FirstEnergy Stadium. This plan outlines the team’s effort to improve fans’ entrance to the stadium, cell-phone service, merchandise stores within the stadium, guest experience and the gameday experience.

Stadium Entrance

First, Scheiner wants to ensure that entering the stadium is a fast and seamless process. The Browns have added 44 new screening lanes and 20 new turnstiles to the stadiums entrance points. Eight chutes and a new express lane at the Northeast gate, 10 chutes and four turnstiles at the Southwest gate, six chutes and new express lanes at the Northwest gate, eight chutes and four turnstiles at the Southeast gate, and 12 chutes and 12 turnstiles on the North plaza.

These changes will allow for an additional 4,000 fans to enter the stadium every 15 minutes. “We’ve looked in every nook and cranny, and we’ve figured out a few areas where we could add screen lines and gates. We think that about 4,000 more fans can get into our stadium every 15 minutes, which is really the crucial time period leading up to the kickoff.”

Also, the NFL has enforced a new bag policy for safety to insure that all bags coming in are clear (#NFLAllClear). Because of that, the Browns are going to mail clear bags featuring their helmet logo to season-ticket holders before the start of the regular season.

Cell Towers

This season, there will be improved cell service at FirstEnergy Stadium thanks to a new DAS tower from Verizon and an upgrade to the AT&T tower. More fans will be able to access their cell phones and iPads while enjoying a Browns game than last year. These towers will aid in services for other providers, and although the towers are not WiFi, Scheiner believes the DAS will help supplement WiFi.

“We think this will make a big difference for people getting on their phone, getting text messages, getting phone calls, surfing the Internet,” Scheiner said. “DAS and Wi-Fi can play off each other, and we’ll see how much success we have with the cell towers. If you’re a consumer or fan, you really just care about being able to get on your mobile device, and that’s what we’ll trying to tackle. I think sometimes people confuse the two issues. Really all you care about as a fan is can I use my phone or can I use my iPad. We’ll see if we get there this year. We’ll test it out throughout the year, and if not, we’ll look at different technologies.”

Gameday Experience

The gameday atmosphere will be new at FirstEngergy Stadium! The goal for the Browns is create a great home-field advantage by energizing the crowd through improved pre-game and in-game tactics. VP of Fan Experience Kevin Griffin came over from the Seattle Seahawks to help the Browns create a home field advantage as good as the Seahawks’ (12th man) is. His ideas sparked the interest, for the first time in Browns’ history, to have a drumline that will lead fans into the stadium before games and energize them during breaks in the game. Also a DJ will be implemented before and during games with more adequate speakers in the stadium for fans and players to get excited about gameday.

New pre-game rituals and introductions will be implemented this year featuring exciting pyrotechnics and new videos on the scoreboard. All this is helping shift the culture in Scheiner’s opinion, and is generating more energy from the players which will in turn create more energy from the fans. “I think it’s very important for your players and your team. They know you’re committed and then they get revved up and the fans get revved up, and it kind of feeds on itself.”

“We want to have the best home-field advantage,” Scheiner said. “We’re talking about things like pre-game introductions, rituals, video and audio, what it feels like when you’re actually participating in the game. We’ll have different rituals that we’ll roll out during the season that most have come directly from our fans. We’ll have a drumline. That brings a lot of energy pre-game and in the parking lots and then, during the game.”

Also, making fans feel safe and making merchandise assessable is imperative for the Browns this year. The Browns have upgraded their team shops at the stadium and have added several kiosks or mini-stores throughout the concourse for fans to access. To go along with that, a security company named Contemporary Services Corporation was hired to re-train the in-stadium staff of the Browns to insure better safety and upgraded guest services procedures.

All of this to help create a better atmosphere for the fans. “We want to harness the energy of our fans. You think of different stadiums around the league where the fans are really passionate, but it’s a safe environment. That’s what we would like to replicate, but I think we’ve got a good atmosphere for football games.”

Putting the Fan First

That is the important part about the new regime headed by Alec Scheiner. They are all about putting the fans first! Most of these changes have come from feedback from fans via email, surveys, and social media. They have even created a Town Hall forum for the fans to provide feedback to the Browns executives on what the Browns are doing. Scheiner is instrumental in getting the fans involved in the process, “I think it’s critical because if you don’t listen and you’re just kind of taking your own experiences, and we haven’t experienced this stadium and this community, it’s important for us to hear and then, put it into motion.”

Browns fans are very passionate about their team and Scheiner realizes that. Everything being put forth is a process for improvement, and now the Browns are truly open to fans feedback. After all, how can one improve the fan experience without input from the fans?